Office-



Nov. 28, 1933. H. BAHTHER 193793635 THERMOSTATIC SWITCH Filed Feb. 14. 1930 li atented Nov, 28, 1933 sins omr

2 Claims.

This invention relates to toilet ventilators,

One of the objects of my invention is the provision of improved means for ventilating a toilet bowl by withdrawing the odors from the bowl during and directly after use and directing these odors into the outlet between the bowl and the sewer, so as to reduce, to a minimum the possible chances of the odors from escaping into the rooin lit in which the toilet is located.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a ventilator including a suction'fan for drawing the odors from the bowl, with said fan operated by an electric motor wherein the circuit to lit the motor is closed when pressure is applied to the toilet seat, so as to immediately start the motor, and when pressure is relieved from the seat, the motor will be speeded up for positively drawing the odors from in and around the toilet 2d bowl and discharging them into the sewer connection with the bowl.

A further object of the invention is the provision of aventilator of the above type wherein the upper portion of the bowl embodies an an- Zt nular hollow section having openings leading thereto from the interior of the bowl, this holimprovements in low section being connected up to the fan housing of a suction fan and embodied within the construction of the bowl is an outlet including a 3d gocseneck which connects up with the fan housing to receive the odors being discharged from the fan housing, and means is provided for connecting this gooseneck with the interior of the body of the bowl so as to provide a water trap 35 within this gooseneck to prevent the odors from returning through the discharge passageway.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a toilet ventilator which includes in its construction circuit closure means adapted to be actuated when pressure is brought to bear upon the seat of the toilet bowl for closing the circuit to a motor which operates a suction fan for withdrawing the odors from a bowl and wherein suitable thermostatic means is provided for increasing the action of the motor when pressure is relieved from the seat and automatically breaking the circuit.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel features of con- 56) struction, the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in the claims and shown in the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical section through a toilet 55 illustrating the application of my invention, with parts thereof shown in elevation;

Figure 2 is a sectional view through the upper portion of the bowl and the seat, illustrating my improved circuit closure; and,

{59 Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view of the circuit.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, 1 indicates the body of a toilet bowl having the usual outlet 2 which leads to the discharge sewer, and the upper edge of the bowl is provided in the present instance with an annular hollow portion 3 having a plurality of perforations 3' extending into the body of the bowl.

Connected in any suitable manner with the hollow annular portion 3 is a conduit 4 which leads to the fan housing 5 in which is located a suction fan 6 operated by motor 7. The motor '7 is arranged in a suitable housing 8 provided with a bracket 9 whereby the motor housing can be attached to the toilet bowl at the rear thereof, as disclosed in Figure 1.

Leading upwardly through the body of the toilet bowl is a passageway 10 provided with a gooseneck 11 adjacent its outer end and having its upp r end connected by means or" a coupling 12 to the fan housing 5, whereby the air suclred out from the interior of the bowl may be directed through the conduit through the fan housing 5 and down through the conduit or passageway 10 to the outlet 2.

In order to provide a water trap within the gooseneclr. 11', the gooseneck is connected at its bottom by means of a smaller passageway 13 to the interior of the bowl adjacent the bottom thereof so that when the bowl is filled with the usual liquid{ the liquid will travel upwardly through the passage 13 into the gooseneck 11. it will be noted that the gooseneck 11 is formed in the body of the bowl at substantially the same height as the overflow partition 14 therefore, the liquid level within the goosenecl; 11 will be approximately on a line with the liquid level in the bowl.

It will be noted that when the fan 6 is started for drawing the odors from the bowl, these odors will be discharged out through the passageway 10, the force of the air from the fan causing the liquid within the gooseneck 11 to travel ahead of the air sucked from the bowl, and direct the same into the discharge outlet 2. However, as soon as the fan 6 stops, the gooseneck 11 will begin to fill with liquid through the passageway 13 and thus cutting oil passage of odors up through the passageway 10.

In order to provide means for starting the motor 7 during the use of the toilet, the seat 15 which is pivotally mounted as at 16, is provided with suitable means adapted to cooperate with means carried by the upper edge of the bowl for closing a circuit to the motor 7 This means includes a contact plate 17 carried by the bowl and connected by means of a conductor 18 to a suitable ground connection, as shown at 19. Resting upon this plate 1'? is a sleeve 20 and slidably mounted within the sleeve 20 is a tubular portion carried by a stem 21 fixed in position within the recess 22 in the seat 15. Arranged within the tubular member ,20 is a coil spring 23, one end of which bears against the closed end of tubular member 20 and the other end bears against the lower end of stem 21, as shown in Figure 2.

This spring normally supports the seat 15 in a horizontal position, as shown in Figure 2. A yieldable strip 25 is mounted within a recess 26 in the upper edge of the bowl and this strip 25 carries contact points 27 and 27', the contact 2'7 being arranged adjacent the fixed end of the strip 25, while contact 27' is arranged adjacent the outer or free end thereof.

Supported within the recess 22 is a yieldable conductor arm 28 carrying a contact point 29, and a contact point 29. The contact points 29 and 29' are arranged directly opposite contact points 27 and 27, respectively. Therefore, when pressure is brought to bear upon the upper face of the seat 15, contact point 29, which is nearest the pivot point of the seat, will engage point 27 and close a circuit to the motor '7.

The above circuit is closed in the following manner: Mounted upon the yieldable conductor arm 28 is a resistance coil 30 and this resistance coil is connected by means of the conductor 24, to the stem of the tubular member 20. The strip 25 is connected by means of a wire 31 with the motor 7. Thus when the seat 15 is lowered, the contact 29 engages contact 27. Consequently, the current flows from the battery '7 through the motor 7, wire 31, contacts 2'7 and 29, through the resistance coil 30, wire 24, sleeve 20 and plate 17, through wire 18 to the ground, and thence back to the motor. Due to the fact that the circuit is closed through the resistance coil, the motor will operate at low rate of speed, but sufiicient to draw the odors from the interior of the bowl out through the conduit 4, through the fan housing 5 and force them down through the passageway 10.

It will be noted that by causing the current to flow through the resistance coil 30, this will have a tendency to heat the yieldable conductor 28 and cause the conductor to expand and assume a substantially curved position and place contact member 29in such position that as soon as the weight is relieved from the seat 15, the yieldable strip 25 will move upwardly so that contact point 27' engages point 29, thus closing a circuit directly through conductor 24 to the motor, instead of passing current through the resistance coil. This operation will cause the motor to speed up and suck the air out at a faster rate.

It will be noted from the foregoing that during the time pressure is being applied to the seat 15, the motor 7, which is connected with a battery '7, will be operated at a low rate of speed due to the fact that the current is passing through the resistance coil 30. However, as soon as pressure is relieved from the seat 15, the coil spring 23 will urge the seat upwardly, disengaging contact points 27 and 29 and causing engagement of contact points 27 and 29, thus carrying the current direct to the motor and causing the same to speed up and it will continue at this speed until yieldable conductor 28 has cooled sutficiently to return to its normal position at which time the circuit through contacts 27 and 29 will be broken and the parts will return to their normal position as illustrated in Figure 2.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that I have provided, a comparatively simple and inexpensive device for withdrawing odors from a toilet bowl during, and particularly after the use of same and immediately directing these odors into the discharge passageway from the bowl which leads to the sewer, so that there is no possible chance of these odors entering the room in which the toilet is located, and immediately after the motor is cut off, the .gooseneck begins to fill with liquid from the body of the bowl so that the odors will not return through the passageway 10.

Attention is directed to the fact that the discharge from the fan housing is carried directly through a passageway formed with the construction of the bowl and the parts of the device are so constructed and arranged that they may be positioned with respect to the bowl in such manner as to occupy a very small space and not detract from the appearance of the bowl itself.

Attention is also directed to the fact that the cost of constructing and installing toilet accessories with my improved features incorporated therein, will be very low when compared to the convenience of such a device.

It will be noted that I provide a gooseneck 4 in the conduit 4 which connects the hollow annular portion 3 with the fan housing in order to prevent any water from the bowl reaching the fan housing. In some instances, the outlet of the bowl may become clogged and the bowl fill up so that water will enter the hollow portion 3 through the perforations 3, whereby the water would then flow into the fan housing if it were not for the gooseneck 4'.

I claim:

1. In combination with a stationary and a movable member, a yieldable strip carried by the stationary member, spaced contacts carried by said strip, a thermostatic element carried by the movable member, a resistance coil on the thermostatic element, spaced contacts carried by the thermostatic element and arranged in opposed relation with the contacts on the strip whereby pressure applied to the movable member will move one of the contacts on the thermostatic element into engagement with one of the contacts on the strip to close the circuit to the resistance coil, and means whereby to break the circuit through the resistance coil, and close a circuit through the thermostatic element when pressure is relieved from the movable member.

2. In combination with a stationary and a movable member, a yieldable strip carried by the stationary member, spaced contacts carried by said strip, a thermostatic element carried by the movable member. a resistance coil on the thermostatic element, spaced contacts carried by the thermostatic element and arranged in opened relation with the contacts on the strip whereby pressure applied to the movable member will move one of the contacts on the thermostatic element into engagement with one of the contacts on the strip to close the circuit to the resistance coil, and relieving of the pressure on the 

